January 16, 1998

Accused Killer Threatens Community in Guatemala

Background:

Residents of the community of El Sauce, El Estor, Izabal Department,
have alerted international human rights organizations that they fear for
their immediate safety. According to reports from Amnesty International
and other sources, the man allegedly responsible for the death of a
community member, Rosa Pec Chub, about a year ago (NISGUA Alert issued
February 4, 1997), recently visited El Sauce, accompanied by several
armed henchmen, and intimidated the community.

On January 24, 1997, Rosa Pec Chub, 57, was killed when scores of
heavily armed individuals - private security guards and other employees
of a local landowner - entered the community of El Sauce firing
indiscriminately. Rosa Pec's son, Juan Rax Chub, was also injured in
the attack and homes, crops and the community chapel were destroyed.
Following local and international protests, arrest warrants were
subsequently issued against the landowner, Luis Alfredo Ponce Cuz, who
reportedly fired the shots that killed Rosa Pec and injured her son, and
against several other men involved in the attack.

Local authorities have failed to enforce the arrest warrant issued
against Luis Ponce and several others or prevent further harassment by
him and his private security guards of the El Sauce community (the
warrant was suspended for several months but then reactivated on Dec 8,
1997).

The land on which the El Sauce community lives is the property of the La
Salle Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious order. Luis Ponce
claims, however, that the land occupied by the community belongs to him,
and on December 22, 1997 he filed charges against Jose Cajbon and others
for "usurpation" with the local judge, despite Luis Ponce's open arrest
warrant. The charges are the first step toward eviction of the
community.

Before these latest developments, land activists and the church
assisting them had planned a peaceful march against impunity for January
26, within two days of the anniversary of the El Sauce attack. Since
protesters were attacked by the local town authorities the last time a
peaceful protest was held (June 1995), local human rights workers have
expressed serious concern for the safety of the marchers. Among their
demands are: the immediate arrest of those responsible for the El Sauce
attack and the killing of Rosa Pec Chub, the removal of the local judge
and official of the court, and an official survey of the lands in
dispute and the construction of roads.

Sample Message in English:

I write to express my deep concern about the safety of the residents of
the El Sauce community, and about the lack of action in the
investigation of the attack on El Sauce on January 24, 1997.

On January 24, 1997, scores of heavily armed private security guards and
other employees of local landowner Luis Alfredo Ponce Cuz attacked the
El Sauce community, El Estor, Department of Izabal. In the attack, Rosa
Pec Chub, age 57, was killed, and her son Juan Rax Chub was injured, and
homes, crops and the community chapel were destroyed.

Although arrest warrants were issued against the Luis Alfredo Ponce Cuz,
who reportedly fired the shots that killed Rosa Pec and injured her son,
and against several others involved in the attack, local authorities
have failed to enforce the arrest warrant or prevent further harassment
of the El Sauce community..

I demand that the government of Guatemala and the local authorities take
immediate measures to ensure the safety of all the inhabitants of El
Sauce and their supporters. I urge you to conduct a full and prompt
investigation into the attack on El Sauce a year ago, and bring to
justice those responsible. Also I ask you to take steps to prohibit and
disband all private armies and paramilitary forces.